


Strangers

by booknerd2005202023



Category: Crescent City Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Bryce - Freeform, Cute, Depression, Drinking, HoEaB, Hunt, Near Death, Sad, Suicide Attempt, before they know each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:42:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24577753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booknerd2005202023/pseuds/booknerd2005202023
Summary: Hope you enjoy this little alternative story i wrote! Comments and Kudos are appreciated! Sorry for any mistakes or inconsistencies.
Kudos: 20





	Strangers

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this little alternative story i wrote! Comments and Kudos are appreciated! Sorry for any mistakes or inconsistencies.

Bryce:  
Bryce tried. She tried to shove the thoughts out of her head, but no matter what she did, they were always at the back of her mind. Six months... Six months. Bryce took a sip from the glass of vodka in her hand. Six months... She turned her back to the cupboards behind her and slid down them. Her glass slipped out of her hand and shattered on the floor beside her, the small pieces of glass glinting in the low light of her apartment and liquid seeping across her floor. Bryce stared at the floor with hollow eyes. She looked awful. She was thin, she’d all but given up eating, and she hadn't slept in over a week. Her hair was dull and greasy, she wore tracksuits and a hoodie which had previously fit her, but now hung off of her frame. She lived on autopilot, completely lost in a void of pain, her body doing everything for her. A tear slipped down her face. Six months. That was how long it had been since Danika and the Pack had died. Six months of people yelling at her on the streets. Some of them thought that she was the one who killed them, some of them called her pathetic. Everyone avoided her. Fury had left almost as soon as she could, and hadn't bothered coming back. Juniper was too wrapped up in her dance to be bothered with Bryce. She was alone.  
She heaved herself off the floor and stumbled over to the bathroom, turning on the shower and stripping. She crawled into the shower and lay on the floor, water dripping around her as she lay in the foetal position and finally let her feelings drown her. For hours she stayed there, until the sobs had passed and she was left with nothing but the cold recognition of what she was about to do. 

Hunt:  
It was a good night for hunt. Micah usually gave him assignments to do at night, but he had been generous and decided to give him a night off, and so he flew. He flew above the city, above the university campus, relishing the cold wind on his face, and the small piece of freedom that he’d been offered. Tonight he would forget.  
He touched down on a tall building that overlooked the business area of the city, looking down on everything, he felt as if he owned it. He flared his wings, appreciating the lights. They were beautiful when he thought about it. Each light symbolised another life. Someone else leading their own path in the world. He outstretched his arms, breathing deeply, and launched himself into the sky once more. 

Bryce:  
Bryce shoved open the door at the bottom of the stair well that led to the roof access, her hair wet and dripping down her back. It was three AM, no one would be out, and if anyone was, they would be too drunk to care what she was doing.  
She hauled herself up the metal staircase, boots clanging loudly. She had underestimated how much energy it took to get up those stairs, and she shoved open the ref access door, lurching forward a few steps before collapsing against the wall, panting heavily. As she caught her breath, a shadow of a doubt crossed her mind. ‘Did she really want this? Was it just the drink talking?’ but the thought vanished almost instantly as she clambered to her feet and looked over the edge of the low wall, down to the pavement eight stories below her. She brought her leg up, pushing until she was standing on the wall. The tears started again as she thought about Danika. The bond they’d had and the love the’d shared. She thought about Connor. How sweet he had been to her, and how she had loved him. She had never got to tell him. She edged forward as she thought about the rest of the Pack. How much fun they always had and the happiness that they had given her. Yes this was the right decision, the only was to end the pain. She stepped forward for the last time, and she plummeted... 

Hunt:  
He reacted on instinct. He saw the falling figure, and immediately sped up, racing against gravity and time, and as far as he could tell he was loosing the race. He burst forward, managing to get underneath the falling figure, and they slammed into him. He wrapped his arms around... her. She looked awful. Malnourished and exhausted, she was shivering and wet. She opened her eyes, and on realising that she wasn't dead, immediately started sobbing, and eventually started punching his chest, screaming that that was what she’d wanted. He flew her back up to her roof, and cautiously set her down on the rooftop, his body in her way of the roof in case she decided to try and throw herself off again. She sank to a heap, and he rushed over to her, lowering himself to the floor beside her and pulling her small form to him. And he held her to him as she let it out, her sobs and screams mingling in the night air.  
Eventually, silence reigned and she trembled uncontrollably. She was clearly not capable of speech, so he pulled the house key from her pocket and scooped her into his arms. She was long due some care. 

Bryce:  
All emotion was gone, as she burrowed onto the man carrying her. As she shook, she felt only exhaustion. He opened her apartment door, and she closed her eyes as he set her down on her bed and pulled the duvet up around her. He whispered comments to her as she drifted off to sleep. They made her feel loved, and she briefly wanted to know who this kind stranger was. She had only gotten glimpses of his chiselled face, and knowing what he looked like wasn't enough. She knew that he would be gone when she woke up, and she was unconscious before she could ask.  
She came to slowly, but didn't open her eyes for a few minutes, snuggling into her sheets and hiding. Just for a few more minutes.  
When she couldn't deny the presence of daylight any longer, she hauled herself out of bed, throwing on some clothes and walked cautiously into her kitchen, wondering what she would see. She was surprised. Her apartment had been cleaned, the shards of glass from last night gone and last week;s takeout containers which had been previously scattered over every available surface were gone. She smiled. For the first time in six months she smiled. She walked over to her fridge, and pulled it open grabbing the bottles of liquor that she stored there and she threw them down her trash chute. The stranger from last night had given her hope. Maybe it was possible to carry on.


End file.
